Improvement in horse hay-rakes



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. HERGHELRODE, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

|MPRovE MENT IN HORSE HAY-R'AKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 182,276, datedSeptember 19, i876; application filed November' 15, 1era RODE, ofDayton, in the county ot' Montgom-v ery and State of Ohio, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Horse Hay-Rakes 5 and I dohereby-declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled inthe art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had 4:to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon,which form a part ot this specification.

This invention relates to that class of horse hay-rakes in which theteeth are attached to the axlewhich isv the rake-head--insuch a manneras to be raised or lowered by turning the head either backward orforward `by any suitable mechanism; and my improvement consists entirelyin the manner of ceiling the ends ot' the teeth and securing them to therake-head, as will be herewith set forth.

Figure l is a plan view ot' a horse hayrake, illustrating my improvedmethod of securing the teeth. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l, witha wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a broken View of the rear face oftherake-head, and will be explained hereafter. 'l

Corresponding letters of reference 4indicate like parts in all thefigures.

A A are the Wheels supporting the axle B, hinged in any convenientmanner to the thills C. This axle or rake-head B has, bored through itfrom rear to front, a series ot' equidistant tapering holes, c, Fig. 3,through which the teeth are inserted from front to rear, .verirrt/im.The holes are shaped like the frustum of a cone, and the smallerapertures on the front face of the head are just sut'- iciently large toallow the introduction ot' the teeth.- Each tooth a has its rear endbent into coil at right angles to its plane, asseen at b.

These coils-are conveniently small, with their con volutions paralleland lying close together. Upon the rear face of the head B is secured,in any convenient` manner, a metallic plate, E, having a series ofvertical slots just wide enough to allow the passage of the teeththrough them seratt'm, and so arranged that the slots bisect the largeropenings of the tapering apertures, as seen in c, Fig. 3, e

representing the'slots, and the dotted` circles the apertures. Into thefront face ofthe rakehead, at intervals and' in a line with the aperltures',.are driven or fastened eyebolts j', or

equivalent devices for holding a rod, F, passed through the eyessecurely in position.

The manner of securing the teeth is as follows: They are passed seratfimfrom the front to the rear through the apertures in the head and throughthe vertical slots in the plate E. Being now in position, the rod F ispassed from one end through the eyesfand through the coils b upon theends-otl the teeth, stringing them, as it were, upon the rod, andholding them securely in place.

The advantages of this method include simplicity and durability. Theplate E with its vertical slots prevents the teeth from having anylateral motion, and at the same time compensates for the weakening ot'the axle by boring, ,and the coils upon the ends of the i teeth preventthem from being turned out of their vertical planes.

The shape of the apertures is immaterial, except that they should besmall in front and large enough in the rear to allow the teeth somevertical, but no lateral, motion. I

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, i s- 1. The rake-teeth a, having their endscoiled at right angles to their planes, and adapted to pass and turnfreely upon the cylindrical rodF, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. The rake-head or axle B, having equidistanttaperiug apertures, andsecured upon its rear face, the slotted plate E, with the slots arrangedwith reference to 'the apertures, as described, in combination with theraketeeth a, having their ends coiled, as represented, and secured tothe head by means of the rod F and eyebolts f, or their equivalents,substantially as and for the purpose specied. In testimony that l claimthe foregoing as my own I hereunto afx my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY C. HERCHELRODE. Witnesses:

Unas. M PEcK,

WM. RrroHrE. v

